Serena Hollmeyer

Abandoned mines, and the associated wastes, present a significant environmental problem. Hard-rock mining, in particular, exposes metallic minerals to the weathering effects of ground and surface waters. These fluids are often capable of leaching metals from the rocks and into the local hydrologic systems. This leaching of toxins into the local watersheds not only threatens the health of the organisms within the watershed (including humans) but also limits land-use potential.  
This project aims to study the stream chemistry of five abandoned mine sites in New York and Vermont. I hope to begin the process of quantifying the downstream impacts of the mining operations and site abandonment. I have spoken with some inhabitants of the potentially affected areas and they have expressed some concern in the metal contents of local watersources.
The sites to be studied are the Cuttingsville mine, Berkshire mine, Eden Mills mine, Lewis mine, and the MacIntyre mine.  


Methods:  
I plan to sample the stream water above and below the mine sites using syringes, filters and sample bottles. Using depth measurements and velocity meters I will calculate the discharge of the stream. Using a GPS in the field and aerial photos in the lab, I plan to map these sites including the areas, locations, and volumes of the tailings piles as well as calculate drainage basin area to determine discharge and the areas potentially affected by the mines.